Kuroko no Basuke: Aomine x Reader- My Voice
by OtakuNekoSan
Summary: You thought you had gotten over him. Yet 4 years later, fate brings the two of you together again. Only this time, one thing was different; You had lost your voice.
1. Chapter 1

_"I...like you..."_

_A 13 year-old Aomine stared down at the trembling (Hair Colored) girl that was looking down at the floor. _

_"E-Excuse me...?" He stammered, clearly surprised at the sudden confession. "Sorry but what was your name again...?"_

_The girl looked up at him, hurt by the obvious rejection. "W-well...if you don't remember me then...never mind. I'm going now."_

_Aomine watched as the young girl ran across the platform, her long hair flowing out behind her like a curtain. Then suddenly, a train sped by._

_The girl turned sharply and saw the oncoming train. Aomine tried to say a word of warning, but it was too late. The accident happened._

_And that was the day (Last Name) (First Name) lost her voice._

* * *

You blinked, staring up at a clear white ceiling. How many times have you been here again? You recounted the number of days you had spent in the plain hospital room, surrounded by the smell of disinfectant. And you hated it.

Today was the day that you were supposed to transfer to Too Academy, a school well known for it's basketball team. You sit up from the bed that you were lying on, and open the door to exit the hospital room.

You lived in the hospital that your mother ran. Because of your unsteady condition, there was no telling how long you would live, or whether you would ever have a future. You often encountered asthma attacks that would suffocate you to the point where you felt as if you couldn't breath at all. The worse part was that you were mute- a temporary condition that should have left, yet stayed with you for 4 years straight. By the end of the third year, your parents had given up on trying to cure you, and decided to put all of their hopes and dreams onto the shoulders of your younger brother. And they isolated you, hoping that you wouldn't ruin their reputation in any way.

You get dressed, tie your silky hair into a ponytail, and place your new textbooks into your bag. You breathe in deeply, hoping that this year, you would be able to keep your condition a secret. It was difficult to make it seem like you were just a quiet and calm girl. Every time a person found out that you could not speak, they would look at you with one of the two things: pity, or scorn. You hated those eyes that judged you, thinking that you were just a little girl who couldn't do anything.

You walk to school, taking in the scenery that surrounded you. The cherry blossoms had just began to bloom, showering the sidewalks with white and pink petals. You see many students up ahead, talking and laughing. You then head onto the school campus, following the flow of the students.

As you peer up at the school map on a board outside, you trace the path to the Principal's Office. You then turn to head over when you bump into something huge. Looking up, your eyes widen at the familiar piercing dark blue eyes looking down at you.

It was Aomine Daiki.

You quickly look away, and try to escape the situation. Turning abruptly, you try to walk away, only to feel a hand on your shoulder.

"Oy." You tense. Did he recognize you?

"You're awfully rude, you know, bumping into me and walking away without saying anything." You feel your heartbeat quickening. The first day and you already encounter a huge problem.

"What's your name, girl? You've got quite some nerve, to mess with me."

You instinctively slap his hand off of your shoulder and run into the school building.

Five minutes on the campus, and you already knew what this school was going to be like. You sigh.

This was going to be an awful school year.

* * *

You sit in the principal's office, waiting for him to speak.

"(Last Name) (First Name), correct?" You nod, and he takes this as the signal to continue.

"I am aware of your condition. You cannot speak, but your parents wish to keep this fact a secret. I have already informed your teachers of this. I assume you will be cooperating as well?" You nod once again. The principal smiles slightly at you.

"Very well then. Here is a map of the school. I have highlighted your classes for you. Have a good first day, (Last Name)."

And there it was again. Those eyes filled with pity that you detested so very much. You stand up and bow, excusing yourself, and head out of the office. You approach your homeroom, and enter quietly when you hear the teacher ask you to come in.

"This is (Last Name) (First Name). She will be a new friend among everyone. Please be nice to her!" The teacher said. "Sit behind Momoi please, (Last Name)."

You see a pink haired girl look up at you and smile. You bow towards her slightly before beginning to walk to your desk. The door then slams open.

"Sorry I'm late, teach." You turn and see Aomine Daiki, standing at the classroom door. Many of the girls in your class begin to whisper excitedly.

"Aomine!" the teacher glares at the dark skinned youth. "I told you so many times to come to school on time already!" Aomine tuned out the teacher's words, his eyes settling on your tiny figure. You shift uncomfortably.

"Oh. That rude girl from this morning," are the first words he says. You feel a twinge of anger, before turning around promptly and sitting down at your assigned seat. You see Aomine heading towards you, and you shift your attention towards the teacher, ignoring him.

You hear a clatter of a chair as Aomine sits down in the seat behind you. _'Oh crap...'_ you think as you hear the scraping of a chair on the tiled floor. '_Why does he have to sit behind me, of all people?'_

"Hey you," Aomine hissed as the teacher began to speak. You disregarded his words and pulled out a notebook and pencil.

Tug. You feel the back of your head jerk back slightly as Aomine grabs your ponytail, pulling on it. "I was speaking to you," he growled. You scowl, and whack his hand away before slipping the rubber band holding your hair in place off so that he couldn't tug on it anymore.

"Tch. Unsociable person, are you?" he muttered before looking out the window. You stare up at the teacher, attempting to focus on the lesson, but found yourself unable to due to his presence.

Aomine Daiki was the cause of your muteness for four years. At first, you simply appreciated his attractiveness and basketball skills. However, he soon wormed his way into your heart when you noticed the little acts of kindness he did, such as secretly helping a kitten down the tree when no one was looking, or lending you an umbrella when it was raining extremely hard. He had also once taught you basketball, and helped you perfect a turn-around technique which you used to develop your own style. Yet he forgot you. You had been rejected, carelessly ran off crying without paying attention, and ended up in a train accident. The accident then caused temporary brain damage, causing you to lose your voice.

You smile bitterly at the thought. You wonder if fate led you to encounter the blue-haired male once again. Taking a deep breath, you let yourself slip into concentration mode, and begin to write down notes on the teacher's lesson.

A while later, the bell rings and you begin to pack your things away. You see the pink haired girl in front of you turn around and smile at you.

"Hi there, (Last Name)-san! I'm Satsuki Momoi, I hope we can get along this year!" She smiles brightly at you, and you give her a small polite smile in return.

"Oy, Satsuki. Who the hell is this brat?" You feel a large hand smash down on your skull and ruffle your hair slightly. Scowling, you hold your head and look up at the giant.

"She's a transfer student, Dai-chan." _'Dai-chan? Was Momoi supposed to be his girlfriend?' _ "Her name is (Last Name), (First Name). You shouldn't be so rude."

Aomine's face contorts for a second, as if he recognized the name. You hold your breath, hoping he didn't. But seconds later, a frown appears on Aomine's face. "The rude one is this girl sitting here. She bumped into me this morning and didn't even apologize."

You get up immediately, and walk straight out the door. Socializing with people, as fun as it was, only caused you problems since you couldn't say anything. You were once again stopped by a hand grabbing onto yours.

"What the hell is your problem?" You hear a low voice growl. "Say something, you little brat."

"D-Dai-chan, come on! Don't be so violent," you hear Satsuki plead with Aomine, trying to get him to leave you alone.

"Shut up, Satsuki." You feel blue eyes pierce the back of your head, and feel extremely helpless at the predicament you were stuck in. The way Aomine looked at you was different than his old self. You feel your eyes begin to water.

_Stop it, (Last Name) (First Name)! Get a grip on yourself...!_ If there was anything you hated, it would be situations like this where you couldn't do anything. You couldn't apologize since you couldn't speak, and you couldn't break out of Aomine's iron grip either.

Aomine and Momoi seem to notice you shaking. "H-Hey, Dai-chan, you're making her cry...!"

Aomine looks stunned for a minute. "S-sorry," he mutters, before letting go of your hand. The second your hand was released, you sprinted down the hall and down the stairs, trying to get as far away as possible. School just started, and you had already appeared as a weak little girl in front of someone.

You hated appearing this way in front of people. You slam open a bathroom door and turn on a faucet, splashing your face with cool water to calm down. As much as you wanted to live out a normal school life, your disability made it impossible. You let water stream onto your face, washing away the emotions that were overfilling.

* * *

Gym class was your favorite period. You loved to play sports as a to vent the stress that you build up over time. As you stretch, you notice Momoi approach you hesitantly.

"(L-Last Name)-san?" she says. "Sorry about Dai-chan earlier. We're childhood friends and...he just has that kind of personality, you get what I mean?"

_'So they're not dating...?' _You give her a small smile, and she seems relieved. "Do you do sports, (Last Name)-san? You have a really nice figure..."

You nod as you stand up. A whistle sounds as a teacher instructs the students to line up for jogging. At the sound of the gun, you kick off and run.

You feel as if you are flying, and easily breeze past the other students. Looking to your side, your eyes widen as you see a familiar tan figure running alongside you. Scowling, you increase your pace.

Aomine notices this, and smirks. He matches your increased pace easily. Your frown deepens even more, and you run even faster. Yet he managed to match that pace too. Soon, the too of you were racing down the track at a frightening speed, neither of you wanting to give in to the other.

By the end of the running exercise, you were worn out from the race. Taking deep breaths, you eye Aomine who was standing next to you, panting only slightly. You feel your displeasure deepen. _'Show off.' _you think as you see him turn to you and smirk.

"You suck," he said, amusement dancing in his midnight blue eyes. You open your mouth to retort, and bite your lips, remembering that you couldn't speak. You curse inwardly. Associating with others only makes you want to be able to talk even more. You glare at him before stalking off to the basketball courts.

"Oy, you," You hear Aomine call out suddenly. Turning around, you glance at him. "Do you know how to play basketball?"

You stare at him for a while, before inclining your head ever so slightly.

"Do you want to play? One on one." You frown. If you recalled correctly, Aomine was one of those people that were so good no one could ever match up to him. At the same time, you didn't want to back down from the challenge. You dip your head in his direction.

The game started with you taking the ball out. You watched as Aomine's eyes shifted back and forth, noting your unfamiliar stance. Taking a deep breath, you allow yourself to slip into a realm of concentration before dribbling the ball slowly.

As soon as you take two steps into the court, Aomine had already found a way to steal the ball from you. He smirked at your stunned expression, and jump to dunk the ball.

You feel a smug smile crawl onto your face. If there was anything you were good at, it was jumping. You were the ace of your volleyball team when you were in the first year of high school. You feel a familiar tension in your legs release as you leap up into the air. Aomine's eyes widen slightly in surprise. You tap the ball lightly with the tips of your fingers, causing it to slip out of his grasp.

Yet within seconds, Aomine had grabbed the ball in midair and preformed a flawless formless shot. You frown in annoyance as the ball slips through the hoop cleanly.

Once again, you take the ball out. You dribble it slowly, drinking in every detail of the familiar figure before you. You take a step forward, and instinctively preform a move that you had practiced so many times it was imprinted into your memory- a turn-around. You notice Aomine's eyes widen in surprise as he watches the familiar move, giving you an opportunity to shoot an unexpected three pointer, which scored. You couldn't help but smirk at his expression in satisfaction, until you notice the look in his eyes. _'Oh crap. He recognized that-'_

"Have I...met you before by any chance?" He questioned, clearly disturbed by how familiar you figure seemed. You gulp, and shake your head vigorously.

"Hmm..." You notice Aomine's eyes narrow in suspicion as he picks up the fallen basketball. "I don't feel like playing anymore. Go do something else." You scowl at his sudden backing out of the game.

You grab a volleyball from one of the nearby courts, and serve it straight into the back of his head. You stick your tongue out at him, and smirk.

"Why you little...!" Aomine growled, heading towards you, but was stopped by the teacher blowing his whistle and summoning the rest of the class.

You laughed inwardly as the two of you walked off to the gathering. The teacher was talking about volleyball, and demonstrating an underhand serve. _'His form is off', _you think, frowning. Your arm twitches as you resist the urge to go up and smack the ball out of his hands. Aomine notices this and smirks.

"Teach, (Last Name) here seems to think you're doing it wrong," Aomine said loudly. You curse and elbow him in the stomach, which didn't have much effect. He grins. "Why don't you ask her to demonstrate for us?"

The teacher looks warily at Aomine. "Very well. (Last Name)-san, please show us any serve format you would like. It doesn't have to be underhand..."

You gulp and nod a bit, before stepping forward and taking the volleyball onto the court. Bouncing it up and down a couple of times, you notice Aomine smirking at you in the crowd, clearly believing that you couldn't do it. You frown in displeasure. _'I'll show you...'_ You take a few steps behind the court and throw the ball into the air and jump up, swinging your hand backwards and hitting it to the back row of the defensive side of the court with a ridiculous amount of strength. You land on the court, satisfied at the jump serve you performed. You turn to your classmates, who were obviously impressed by your example. You look at Aomine, and return the smirk that he had directed at you before.

Momoi observed Aomine's stunned expression, a small smile on her face. It was the first time a girl was able to show up Aomine, and could keep up with his fast running and basketball pace. Despite Aomine's attitude, Momoi was aware that he was just being stubborn and refusing to acknowledge (Last Name).

* * *

"Oy, Satsuki."

The manager of the Too basketball club looked up at the dark-skinned giant. "What is it, Dai-chan?"

"That girl, the one who did the volleyball serves. Can you find some information on her for me?"

Momoi looked surprised. "Are you not asking for her three sizes, Dai-chan?"

"Did I ask about that?" Aomine growled, clearly flustered by the question. "Include that if you want. I just want to know her background, previous schools she attended, and so on."

"My, Dai-chan is actually asking me for information on a _girl._" Momoi emphasized the last word, smiling slightly at Aomine's embarrassed expression. "Fine. I should have it by tomorrow."

Aomine merely nodded before heading out the gym. Momoi frowned. "You're not coming to practice, Aomine?"

Aomine narrowed his eyes. "I'm doing private training for now. No one in here can keep up with me anyways."

Momoi looked back down at her clipboard, a smile still etched on her face. "I guess that match with Seirin got to him after all..." she murmured, before scribbling something down.

x x x

You were practicing your three pointers in basketball outside after school. Too's main devotion was the basketball club; there were no female volleyball clubs here. You frowned as your shot bounced off the rim. The female basketball group was simply a 'fanclub'; they didn't actually play at all. In other words, there were no sports features that you had any interest in at this school. You pick up the fallen basketball and return to the three point line. Jumping up, you shoot the ball and watch as it spins towards the hoop. One glance told you the shot was going to fall clear through the net.

An arm shoots up grabs the basketball out of the air just before it reaches the net. You pause, surprised by the stop of the ball. Looking down, you spot a random guy surrounded by a group of friends, with your basketball in his hand.

"You're that transfer student everyone's talking about, right? The 'pretty and quiet' girl." The guy grins at your confused expression. "I heard that you were pretty good at volleyball. Someone even said that you were decent enough in basketball to keep up with Aomine Daichi."

You frown. What was up with this guy? Why was he even talking to you?

"What do you say you come and hang out with us sometime, little girl? We could make use out of someone like you." Your frown becomes a scowl at this point. You turn around and begin to walk away, only to have your arm grabbed roughly by the stranger.

"Hey, we're talking to you. Don't you think you should tell us a word or two at least?" The guy frowned as you shot a glare at him. "I told you to say something!" He grabbed you by the collar of your shirt. _"Teenagers sure are rough these days, even to girls.' _you thought, as he slammed you up against a wall.

"Still staying quiet?" He hissed, clearly ticked off at your silence. Not that you could say anything anyways. You had encountered this kind of situation various times, and each time, it always ended up the same. You were beaten up, and no one passing by said a thing. No one came to look for you. So what did it matter? Honestly.

"Well then, girly, why don't we go have some fun?" You suddenly feel nervous. This was not right. This was not going the way you wanted it to at all. He did not punch you, he did not kick you and try to break your bone. Instead, he grabbed yanked the collar of your shirt. Hard.

You begin freaking out, and struggle against the arms holding you down. No. _No. _This kind of thing was not supposed to happen. You kneel him in the crotch, only to seem to rouse his anger even more. You wanted to cry. You wanted to scream. You were stuck in this predicament again- you couldn't do a single thing to save yourself. And if you didn't escape, who would help you?

"Oy. What the hell do you bastards think you're doing?"

Heads turned to find the source of the voice that spoke. You saw Aomine standing there, gazing coolly at the scene laid out before him.

"A-Aomine," One of the guys stuttered, and looked from him to you. "W-we were just...uh...Sorry!" The guys glanced at each other, before running away as fast as they could.

You slid down the wall, your hand clenched tightly around the neck of your blouse, silent tears streaming down your face. _Scary. Scary. Scary...So scary..._

"Hey," you see Aomine bend down next to you. "You...are you alright?" He scratches the back of his head awkwardly, clearly not used to worrying about someone. His words only make you cry even harder. It had been so long since someone was concerned about your well being. Aomine hugs you awkwardly.

"C-calm down, okay...?"

A small smile appears on your face at the clumsy giant's act of gentleness. You bury your tear-stained face into his chest, and breathe in his comforting scent. Not only did you calm down, you fell asleep in about five minutes flat.

Aomine chuckled lightly, looking down at your sleeping face. "(Last Name) (First Name), huh. Sounds so very nostalgic...as if I heard the name before."

He ran a hand through your silky (Hair Color) hair, his face depicting a rare gentle smile.

"Sweet dreams, (Last Name)."


	2. Chapter 2

_You ran towards your house, a box in your hands, your eyes shimmering excitedly. _

_"Mom, Dad! I'm home!"_

_Your mother and father turn to you. "What's that you're carrying, (First Name)?"_

_"I found a kitten on the ground! It was hurt... Can we take care of it?"_

_Your mother's gentle smile turns to a frown. "Honey, we already have enough to handle. We can't have this...thing taking up more money."_

_You pout. "But it's hurt! You're a doctor right? You can take care of it, right?"_

_Your dad rises up angrily at your persistence. He picks up the kitten by the scruff of it's neck, and throws it into the koi fish pool in your backyard._

_You let out a small scream and run after it. _

_"Don't pick up such useless things, (First Name). We already have enough trouble handling the family as it is."_

_A sob racks your body as you scoop the kitten out of the pool. Suddenly, a flash of light approaches you from the right. You turn abruptly and see a train heading towards you-_

You sit up in your bed, breathing harshly, sweat dripping down from your hair. It was that nightmare again. You take a deep, calming breath and run your hand through your (Hair Color) locks.

Ever since the train accident, you would have dreams recounting your childhood traumas that would always end with you getting hit by a train. You get out of your bed shakily and undress before heading into the bathroom, turning on the faucet, and letting cold water stream onto your body. You feel your heartbeat easing as you spray cold water onto your face.

After you got dressed in your uniform, you head out the door and start down the path to Too Academy. Looking up at the azure blue sky, you walk along the roadside, thinking about your dream.

That particular memory had occurred when you were 6 years old. You were naive and playful, and was always oblivious to your parents' attitudes towards small animals. The kitten had died soon after it fell in the koi pond. You had cried for days until your father grew annoyed and demanded that you snap out of it. Your parents were only gentle when you didn't 'get in their way'.

You notice a giant shadow looming over you, and you turn around, only to come face-to-face with Aomine Daiki. You would let out a squeal- if you could. You backed away slowly, before spinning back around to continue walking down the road to the Academy.

Aomine looked at you. "You really never say anything, do you?" He grunted, before walking besides you. You look up at his tall, muscular frame, wondering just how much he had grown over the course of 4 years. Aomine noticed you staring.

"What? Haven't fallen for me, have you?" He teased, smirking as you blushed and looked away. After he had saved you the previous days, it scared you how quickly the emotions you had locked away years ago came flooding back. You convinced yourself that it was simply a small attraction; you only respected him for his actions. But you didn't know how long it would be before your heart would begin beating quickly, and you would flush unconsciously whenever you saw him. But until that happens, you decided to resist the emotion as much as possible- or else you would once again experience that pain that you had felt when he had rejected you.

When you arrived at the Academy, you headed straight to the classroom. Aomine yawned. "I'm going up onto the roof now...today's class is going to be boring anways." You frowned and stopped in your steps, before going up behind the giant and grabbing his jacket.

"What?" Aomine turned around, narrowing his eyes. You glared at him, and tugged at his jacket, pointing over at the classroom.

"No." Aomine tried to take a step forward, but you tightened your grip on his jacket, pulling him back. Aomine sighs. "So persistent..."

Aomine turned around and grabbed your hand, making you release his jacket. Your frown deepened into a scowl, before you flung your arms around his midsection, dragging him into the classroom.

"O-Oww...!" Aomine grumbled as you accidentally let go and caused him to fall down on the floor. "Alright, alright. I get it. I'll go to class. Happy?"

You grinned, before heading over to the classroom and opening the door. You walked to the back of the classroom and sat down at your desk, taking out your notebooks. Chatter broke out as Aomine entered and sat down behind you, grumbling all the while. Classmates stared. Aomine never came to class on time; he usually didn't come at all if he could help it. Even Momoi, who just entered the classroom, was surprised.

"Dai-chan...? You're attending class...?" She said in disbelief. Aomine grunted in return.

"I was forced to. By this girl." He nodded his head towards you. You smile up at Momoi in greeting, before pulling a textbook out of your bag.

"Oh my. Dai-chan's listening to a girl...? The world must be ending." Momoi snickered as a tinge of red appeared on Aomine's cheeks. "Shut up, Satsuki."

The teacher then entered the classroom, and the clattering of chairs was heard as students returned to their desks. His eyes flashed briefly with astonishment when he scanned the room and found Aomine sitting in his seat, disgruntled.

"All right, settle down," He said, before beginning to take attendance. Aomine yawned. "I'm bored already..." he muttered. He then got up from his seat, and attempted to escape the classroom, but was stopped as you leaned over and once again grabbed a hold of his jacket, glaring at him.

"Tch." Aomine sat back down, a scowl written on his face. Onlookers were watching with amusement. The great Aomine Daiki was sitting down obediently in class. Now that was something you didn't see every day.

* * *

"Dai-chan!" Momoi was rushing over to Aomine's lunch spot outside of the gym. She came to a stop in front of him, breathless. "I found the information you asked for yesterday."

Aomine looked up at Momoi as she began her report. "(Last Name), (First Name). She lived in an urban area in Kyoto for a while, before she moved here. She attended Teiko for middle school, and went to an all girls school for her first year of high school before she transferred here. There isn't much else that I could find about her, which is strange."

Aomine frowned. So she has attended the same school as him before. He might have run into her once or twice, yet her name seemed much to familiar for the situation to be that simple. Aomine felt as if he was forgetting something important. But what the heck was it?

"Oh yeah. By the way, her three sizes are 35C-27-38, in case you were wondering." Momoi watched, amusement tinkling in her eyes as Aomine's face flushed bright red.

"Tch." He buried his face in his hands, trying to erase whatever inappropriate thoughts that came up at Momoi's words. "That wasn't the information I was asking for..."

"Oh my," Momoi teased. "This is the first time you became so worked up over a girl, Dai-chan~!" Aomine scowled.

"She's just...different. From the other girls I mean. It's simply because I'm not used to it. That's all." _That and I feel like I know her from somewhere..._

The sudden sound of footsteps warned the pair of someone approaching. Momoi and Aomine both turned to see you walking on over, a lunchbox in hand.

"(Last Name)-san! Are you going to eat lunch now?" Momoi jumped up enthusiastically and called you over. You give her a little wave before shaking your head. Momoi looks slightly confused as you walk past them and go over to a small bush at a secluded corner near the back of the gym.

A small kitten pokes its head out of the bush as you pulled out and open a can of fish, leaving it there for it to eat. You sit down a couple of feet away and smile as it crawls out hesitantly and sniffs at the mackerel you had left there.

Aomine stares at you, suddenly reminded of the time he had climbed up a tree and helped a kitten down from the tallest branch. His eyes softens slightly as he watches you smile gently at the tiny creature. Momoi notices Aomine's expression, before walking away quietly, giggling under her breath. She looks up at the clear sky.

"Oh Dai-chan, you fool..."

x x x

You are startled out of watching the kitten eating by a sudden chime of the school bell. Getting up, you brush off your lap before turning around to head back into the school building. You look up and see a tall, familiar figure.

Aomine Daiki stood before you, a mixture of embarrassment and amusement written on his face. You smile lightly and brush past him, and walk in the direction of the second year building. Then you stop, noticing that he wasn't following you.

Once again, you grab onto his jacket and frown stubbornly. Aomine scowls.

"I already attended morning classes. Can't you let me go just this one time?"

You shake your head defiantly, before grabbing his large hand and dragging him towards the building. Aomine sighed, but smirks slightly at a sudden thought that crosses his mind.

'She sure is one strong-willed girl.'

x x x

During gym that day, you feel strangely drained and exhausted. You manage to keep up with Aomine throughout the running exercise, and line up with the rest of the class as everyone begins to practice their serves. You grab a volleyball from the pile and head to an empty court with Momoi.

"(Last Name)-san, could you teach me an underhand serve?" The pinkette looks up at you, curious at the sudden uneasy expression that appeared on your face. You nod slightly, and help adjust her serving position using your hands.

Not before long, Momoi is sending serves successfully over the volleyball net. You smile at her, before running after the ball to retrieve it. Suddenly, you feel a familiar sensation crawl up your throat.

_Oh no. This is bad..._ You slow down and put a hand up to your neck, running a hand up the side of your throat, hoping to make the feeling go away. But you were unsuccessful. Within seconds, you feel your lungs constrict, and you choke, a hand pressed to your neck.

"(L-Last Name)-san?" Momoi's concerned voice is the last thing you hear before you get hit by an asthma attack. You fall to the floor, your hand clutching at your chest, coughing and wheezing, trying to breathe.

You barely notice a teacher blowing his whistle and commanding a student to run to the infirmary to get a nurse. A strong pair of arms encircles your middle, and you feel yourself being propped up. A large, warm hand rubs your back soothingly.

You gasp as a shudder passes through your body. You feel your air passage being cut off, and your vision becomes blurry around the edges. You couldn't breathe- once again, the feeling of being suffocated encloses around you.

_'__N-no...!'_ Your mind screams for help as you feel yourself becoming lightheaded. You were subject to unexplainable asthma attacks that medications did not seem to have an effect on. As a result, you had no control over when you were suddenly struck by a smothering feeling covering your lungs, making it impossible to draw a single breath.

"(Last Name), calm down. I'm here." You hear a familiar low voice growl into your ear.

_'Aomine...'_

That thought was the last thing that registered in your mind before your world went black.

* * *

Aomine walked down the empty corridor after school. He let out a sigh. After the chaos of the morning, he would have liked for nothing more than to go home and douse himself in a cold shower. He remembered your small, shivering figure, and your mouth parted for air as spasms raked your body. The blue giant shook his head, trying to derive his head of the thoughts of your delicate frame.

Momoi had forced him to go back to the classroom to get his textbooks that he had left behind. As his footsteps echoed down the lonely hallway, his attention is drawn to a slightly opened door just before the classroom.

"...it really isn't possible to cure her?" The principal's voice is heard through the small crack in the door.

"That can't be, right? There are many donors- surely they'll find someone to help out even if her parents have given up."

Aomine walked on, uninterested, until he heard the man's next sentence.

"What do you think, (Last Name)?"

The blue-haired giant freezes in his tracks, his head slowly turning to face to door. A scribbling of pencil on paper is heard, and the teacher and principal on the other side of the door seem puzzled.

"It's supposed to be temporary? But why do you still have the condition?" The teacher sounds panicked, clearly shocked.

"Now now, let's not get too worked up." The principal speaks calmly. "I'm sure that it was a trauma or something that caused the incident in the first place. From what I've seen, (Last Name) is an extremely capable girl. Her condition doesn't seem to affect her education."

"I suppose..." The voice trails off uncertainly. "But students will surely realize something soon...! I can't call on her to help read passages in school- If I keep skipping her, the students will notice that something is off. Surely it's better to tell everyone the truth?"

The principal stands up sharply. "Mr. Ayukawa, if we let everyone know that (Last Name) (First Name) is mute, then she will withdraw from the school! That will cause an extreme problem and chaos among the students. We should try to keep it as hushed down as possible- we promised her parents as well."

"Alright... Fine. I suppose you are dismissed, (Last Name)."

Aomine is startled out of his shock at what he heard at the sound of the approaching footsteps. The door opens, and Aomine comes face to face with (Last Name), (First Name).

Your eyes open in shock as you realize that he had been listening in on the conversation. You wonder just how much he heard. He swallows thickly.

"You...can't speak?"


	3. Chapter 3

_"You...can't speak?"_

You stare up nervously at the towering blue-haired ace staring down at you, a rather conflicted expression on his face. You didn't know how you should respond do his sudden question.

The principal and teacher were standing behind you, a stunned expression on their faces. Your secret had gotten out so quickly you couldn't even react.

"A-Aomine," the teacher began. "We have a very good reason for keeping this a secret, and I do wish that you would keep quiet-"

"Tch. Shut it." Aomine scowled before spinning on his heels and walking away. "I won't say anything _unnecessary_."

You thought that your secret was safe. But as he passed by you, you heard him hiss into your ear.

"Keeping a secret like that. And I thought I could call you a friend."

x x x

Why did you keep it a secret? The answer was simple. Letting out such a piece of information would most likely lead to Aomine discovering your identity, and how the two of you had known each other a long time ago. If he knew the reason for your muteness, he would blame himself, and think that you didn't want to be near him, which wasn't true.

All you wanted was to be able to start over again. Clearly, you confessing to him that day was a mistake. You had always wanted another chance to be able to be with him. As long as you were able to stay near him, that was enough. You wanted to be able to see his laugh, to play basketball with him, to spend time with him. And you got your chance. Yet something had to happen and cause everything to go wrong.

You sigh and run your hand through your hair during the next day's P.E. class. The sky was dark, and there was a high percentage of rain. You shivered slightly from the cold, and cursed inwardly at how you forgot to bring your sweater to school.

Aomine didn't bother to talk to you the entire day, making Momoi worried, wondering what had happened. Aomine wouldn't tell her a single thing, and it was impossible for you to reassure her.

As the class once again lines up for running, you notice Aomine gazing at you uninterestedly. The words in his eyes were clear. Today he wasn't going to race with you- if anything, he was going to run so far ahead of you, you couldn't catch up. You tear your gaze away from him, and watch as the teacher raises the starting gun into the air.

As the gun lets out a sudden bang, you and Aomine immediately sprint ahead of the rest of the group. A glance at Aomine told you that he was confident about beating you, but you weren't going down without a fight. You suck in a mouthful of cold air before increasing your speed. The two of you race neck to neck down the track. Yet in the end, Aomine managed to surpass you. He refused to look you in the eye as he stretched his legs and walked off to the basketball courts.

Rain began to sprinkle down, and you shuddered slightly. You looked up at the sky worriedly, before heading off to the volleyball courts. Your classmates who finished running their laps were heading over to the volleyball courts as well.

The light tapping of rain on the ground began to increase, and soon the rain became a steady roar. Students began to run under the gym's overhang in order to avoid getting soaked. You follow them and squeeze into the crowd of students.

As you walk by, you notice many stares following you, and a couple of boys whistled. Confused, you look down before your eyes opened in horror.

Because you had forgotten your sweater, your white P.E. shirt had become transparent when it was soaked by the rain. As a result, your bra was visible to all of the spectators.

"Black huh? Sexy." You hear one of the boys make a remark, and you blush, using your arms to cover your chest. Tears threatened to spill over as you crouched down, trying to cover yourself up.

"Tch. I can't watch this."

You look up slightly to see a tall figure tower over you.

"Here, wear this, dumbass."

Something soft comes in contact with your head. Aomine had taken off his sweater and given it to you. You open your mouth slightly to say that he would catch a cold, before biting down on your lips. Aomine chuckled.

"That's right. Just be a good girl and stay quiet." You pouted childishly at his words, before pulling the damp, oversized sweater over your tiny frame. It had never occurred to you just how massive Aomine was; his sweater nearly reached your knees.

You look up at him slightly, before mouthing the words 'thank you'. Aomine looks away, scratching the back of his head. "Whatever," he mumbled.

Suddenly, a pair of arm circles your waist. You turn around to see Momoi wrapping you up in a hug. "Aww~! You look so adorable wearing Dai-chan's sweater! Can I take a picture? Please?"

You flush and shake your head. There was no way you were going to let anyone take a picture of you in some oversized sweater. Heck, it looked as if you weren't wearing anything underneath! That made things a ton worse.

Momoi smirked and looked up at Aomine. "Aren't you being quite nice to (Last Name)-san, Dai-kun? You never even let me borrow your sweater when I'm cold..."

Aomine scowled. "Shut up. Her shirt was see through, just so you know." Your face turned even redder at his blunt statement.

"Aww, Dai-chan, you were concerned about other people staring at her? How cute!" Momoi giggled as Aomine stared at her with a dumbfounded look, his mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out. Clearly, Momoi calling him cute had rendered him speechless.

"I-I'm not cute!" Aomine stuttered, furious. "I am strong, and cool, and all of those other things. But cute? _C__ute? _Hell no."

"But (Last Name)-san thinks so too, right?" Momoi turns and stares at you. You look at Aomine's enraged features and Momoi's amused face. You nod.

"W-w-wha...!" Rage and embarrassment shone in Aomine's eyes as he glowered at the two of you. "F-forget it! We never had this conversation!"

A small smile adorned your features as you watch Aomine turn his face away, his cheeks tinged with red.

_How cute indeed._

* * *

It never occurred to you how many fans Aomine had until you became the target of their bullying and harsh criticism. They didn't abuse you physically- they seemed to enjoy watching you suffer mentally.

One time, one of Aomine's fangirls knocked over a vase and ran away just as you came around the corner. Even though you weren't the culprit, you were blamed- you couldn't say a thing to defend yourself.

Another time, someone had put a copy of the next test's answers in your bag. Once again, you were unable to say that it was a mistake when the teacher found the books inside of your book bag.

But the main problem was that you had gotten out of both situations- the teachers were all aware of your good reputation, and how anything strange that happens was probably because of someone else. If anything, this only riled up the fangirls more. And now you had to constantly stand on your guard.

It wasn't until a couple of days after those events that rumors began to start through the school. When you had arrived at Too that morning, you found people avoiding you left and right. Upon entering the classroom, everyone became deadly silent. You had sat down, confused, before a boy came up to you and asked you to go out with him.

You were shocked out of your mind before shaking your head furiously. What kind of person does these kinds of things anyways? The air in the classroom seemed rather tense before Momoi opened the door and entered. When she saw you, a smile appeared on her face, and she tackled you in a giant bear hug.

"(Last Name)-chan~! Are you doing okay?" You nodded slightly. Many of the students in the room shifted nervously, an uneasy look on their faces. Momoi looked up, confused. "Why is it so quiet in here...?" She said, echoing your thoughts.

The door once again slammed open, and Aomine Daiki walked into the classroom, ignoring the tension in the air. Murmurings broke out as he sat down behind you without a care in the world.

"A-Aomine-kun," a girl approached the dark skinned giant cautiously. "Is it true that (Last Name)-san...did that...to you?"

Aomine stared up at the girl curiously. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"U-um...never mind!" The girl immediately quailed under Aomine's gaze and rushed back to her desk, tripping over her feet. The teacher then entered the classroom, starting the lessons.

x x x

During break, you found yourself pushed around a lot by girls in the hallways, and ignored by others, yet you had no idea why. You sat down outside of the gym, sighing.

"(Last Name)-chan!" You turn instinctively at the noise and saw Momoi running towards you, a panicked look on her face. She stopped by you, panting.

"I asked what was going on this morning in the classroom. One of the girls showed me this..."

Momoi showed you her cellphone. On the screen was a chain mail that said "Newsflash! (Last Name) (First Name) forces Aomine to go out with her?" Under the caption was various pictures of you and Aomine, either shooting baskets or walking together in the hallway. But of course, whoever took the pictures had to catch the moments when the only one 'smiling' was you; all of the pictures had an Aomine with a displeased face. You couldn't help but applaud the photographer for such excellent skills- but now was not the time for that.

Under the pictures, a tinier caption was there warning boys about how you were supposedly a 'slut', telling them to stay away from you. Everyone that received the message was supposed to forward it to 10 other people. In other words, at least more than half of the school had seen this email by now.

You nearly scoff at how ridiculous the chain mail was. Momoi notices your expression and frowns.

"This is serious, (Last Name)-chan! If you don't stop the chain mail, then you're going to be picked on by a lot of people...! If we just told Dai-chan we could end this easily..." At this statement, you immediately grab onto her shirt and shake your head hard. There was no way you were going to drag him into this problem.

Momoi's frown becomes more prominent. "You need to end this situation, (Last Name)-chan! Can't you please just say something! If you don't speak up, you're going to find yourself in a helpless situation! If you can't defend yourself, you aren't even a person anymore- just someone who is pushed around by others-"

As soon as Momoi sees your face, she knew that she had gone too far. Your eyes filled up with tears at her words. Momoi had literally just called you useless. You turn on your heels and run away, ignoring her calls. You would speak if you could. But that was impossible with your current condition. In the end, you knew that you only had yourself to blame. The one who didn't say anything about her condition was you- how could Momoi know you were mute unless you told her?

x x x

You began to avoid Momoi after the situation you had gotten into. By staying near her, Momoi also became gossiped about, and it would only be a matter of time before she would be isolated by others as well.

The only problem was, not long after, Aomine found out about all of the rumors. He too, found them ridiculous and absurd. However, other people didn't seem to think that way, which only caused him problems.

At first nothing too bad happened. But then, things started escalating. You found yourself pushed down stairs, tripped in hallways, and falling a lot during gym class. Once, you got locked in a storage room until the janitor heard you and got you out. Before you knew it, you were getting cornered and beaten up by people.

On a day in which you got a rather bad bruise on your arm, you tried to receive a volleyball and failed badly. You winced and clicked your tongue in annoyance. How it pissed you off that those girls could get away with everything. The only bad thing about the failed receive was that Aomine noticed. Because you never missed when it came to volleyball, Aomine frowned and walked over.

"Oy. What the hell happened to your arm?"

You shake your head, signifying that nothing was wrong. Aomine scowled. "Nothing my ass. You actually missed a volleyball. How the hell is that normal? Let me see."

Aomine reached out to grab your arms, but your jerked it away. Aomine's scowl became wider as he glared at you.

"Let. Me. See." He practically hissed out the words, anger showing in his midnight blue eyes. You gulp and shake your head, before turning and running off.

You should have known that running was not a smart move. Within seconds, Aomine had caught you, and pinned you to the wall of the gym. He grabbed the sleeve of your sweater and yanked it up. Fury and surprise were etched into his face as he noticed the large bruise on your forehand.

"How the hell did this happen?" He looked up at you, rage blazing in his eyes. You shake your head once again. Even if you wanted to, you couldn't exactly tell him in the first place. Aomine sighed, and stepped back.

"Look, I don't know what the hell is going on," he said, turning to you, "but you need to be more careful. Don't get yourself injured too much, 'kay?" He patted you roughly on the head before walking away.

You frown. You would try to prevent yourself from getting hurt, if you could. But when it was 7 against 1, that was basically impossible.

x x x

The following day, you walked past the gym to the classroom, wincing as you put your foot on the floor. Aomine, who was practicing in the empty gym, spotted you and noted your stumbling figure.

From what Aomine saw, the situation was getting out of hand. You had been beaten up several times already, and it didn't help that you were avoiding Momoi. When you walked into the classroom, hateful gossip immediately began among the classmates.

The second Aomine entered through the door, girls swarmed around him, bombarding him with questions.

"Aomine-kun, did (Last Name)-chan really force you to go out with her?"

"You actually went out with that slut? Ugh. Do you want us to teach her a lesson?"

"Aomine-kun, you really should just beat her up and teach her her place already."

Aomine's eyes were dark pools of displeasure. He had reached the end of his patience. The next line he said caused everyone in the room to freeze and shut up.

Aomine Daiki opened his mouth and practically yelled, "She's mute, you bastards. How the hell can she force me to go out with her?"


	4. Chapter 4

_"She's mute, you bastards. How the hell can she force me to go out with her?"_

The classroom remained deadly silent. Heads swiveled around to look at you. Upon meeting their eyes, you saw what you did not want to see. You stand up quickly and slam your hand on your desk. Opening your mouth, you try to speak.

_'I'm not...!'_

But once again, your voice does not come out. And there they were again- those eyes filled with pity, shock, scorn. You did not want to be looked at that way. You did not want to be seen as a weak little girl who couldn't do anything. Tears blurred your vision, and you ran out of the classroom.

You run until you were breathless, and had to stop. You found yourself on an empty rooftop, where everything was quiet and peaceful. You draw a shaky breath before sinking down onto your knees, tears streaming silently down your face.

_'Why does fate have to be so cruel?'_

x x x

_"Hey, do you know about (Last Name)-san?"_

_"Apparently she can't speak..."_

_"Oh...Poor girl."_

_"We'll only embarrass her if we invite her to come to the Christmas party. After all, we are doing karaoke."_

_"Yeah...let's go."_

_(Eye color) orbs followed the retreating figure of the girls who were exiting the classroom. Again. It happened again. You were cut off by everyone, isolated and unable to speak up for yourself. You wanted to go celebrate with everyone else- but they seemed to think that you would be embarrassed if you had to go. _

_A silent sigh escapes your lips as you get up and pick up your book bag. Everyday was the same. People avoided your gaze, and looked at you with pity whenever they spoke to you. This was the cage that you hated, that you didn't want to be stuck in. If only you could get out..._

_Returning home, you see your parents frustrated as they sat at the dining table._

_"Look, (First Name), we can't do this anymore. Our hospital isn't trusted because we can't cure our own daughter of her condition. You are transferring schools."_

_Your eyes widen at your mother's sudden words. You see their eyes. Rather than pity, it was filled with hatred and scorn. Flinching, you nodded silently before turning around to head to your room._

_You take a deep breath. A new school was a chance to start over again. If no one found out about your condition, you could live as a normal person. _

_And on the very first day, you bump into a person who knew more than just your condition- he knew the cause of it, and your buried past._

_That person was Aomine Daiki._

x x x

You stayed up on the rooftop until school ended. Your face turns as you hear the door click open. Aomine walks steps through the doorway, yawning. Then he spots you sitting on the floor, staring at him.

"Oy. What are you doing here?"

You look up at him, before frowning and turning your gaze abruptly elsewhere. You hear him click his tongue in annoyance.

"Fine, fine. Ignore me like the brat you are." He sits down with his back against the wall, staring up at the sky.

A silence stretches between the two of you. A cool wind brushes across your neck, and you unconsciously shiver.

"Here." You look up and see Aomine, his basketball jersey in a hand outstretched towards you. You look up at his face. He was the only one who hadn't looked at you with those eyes that you despised. You appreciated that more than anything else. You took the jacket and wrapped it around you.

Aomine sat down next to you, before he spoke.

"Should I...not have said anything?"

Your head swivels in his direction at his sudden words. The blue haired giant refused to look at you.

"I might have...worsened the situation." He mumbled this before standing up abruptly and heading back to the door. You smile slightly.

You didn't mind that the problem you were stuck in got worse. Aomine Daiki would always be on your side, and that was enough.

* * *

The next couple of days pass by slowly. Momoi had made up with you, apologizing profusely for the careless words that she spoke. "You should have said something...!" she kept muttering. If anything, you felt lucky to have Momoi as your friend. She didn't mind that you couldn't speak, and didn't look at you with pity either.

Your classmates avoided you for the next couple of days, but you didn't really mind. At least they were leaving you alone now. Some of them even muttered a small 'sorry' as you passed by in the hallways.

During lunch time, you were sitting alone on the rooftop when Aomine opened the door, muttering about teachers and how they pissed him off. He saw you, before clicking his tongue and climbing the ladder to the highest point on the roof.

You ate slowly, enjoying the breeze. When you finished, you packed your lunch away. The warning bell sounded, and you were about to exit the roof when you remembered Aomine.

Walking over to the wall, you climbed up the ladder and found Aomine lying on the floor, his eyes closed peacefully. You lean over and shake his shoulder gently.

"Cut it out, Satsuki..." you heard him grumble. You let out a silent giggle before poking him. He didn't move. You tugged on his hair. Yet he still didn't get up.

You feel your impatience rising as Aomine stayed there, rigid as a statue, sleeping. You poke him hard in the stomach.

Aomine suddenly draws a deep breath, and sits up. "What the hell...?"

At his sudden reaction, amusement glittered in your eyes. _'The great Aomine Daiki is ticklish? Now that's something new...'_

Aomine seemed to notice the mischief playing in your (eye color) orbs. "What the hell are you planning, brat?" He growled, staring at you.

Within seconds, you had tackled Aomine to the floor, and began tickling him.

"H-hey, cut it out...! Ahaha...Wait stop, no seriously...Hahahahaha...!" You grinned as Aomine struggled and laughed. This was the side of him that you hadn't seen in so long. Soon, Aomine seemed to adapt and managed to escape, before he pinned you down on the floor.

"Payback, (Last Name)," he growled seductively. You gulped, and suddenly you felt his hands tickling you. You felt silent laughter erupt from your throat as you struggled to free yourself from his grasp.

"D-Dai-chan..." The two of you freeze as the voice of a certain pinkette was heard. Momoi was standing there, shock evident in her eyes. If one looked at this position from afar, it was easy to misunderstand. And that was what Momoi had seen.

"S-Satsuki, you're misunderstanding...!" Aomine seemed panicked, unlike his usual calm personality. One look at Momoi made it evident why.

The manager of Too's basketball team had a dangerous aura around her. Though her lips were set in a smile, her eyes glimmered with rage.

"Oh my, Dai-chan...Aren't you _eager._"

"Really...! It's a misunderstanding...!"

You watched, amused, as Satsuki came over and punched Aomine in the stomach.

"What are you doing, defiling (Last Name)-chan's purity like that...!" she hissed. She paused when she noticed you shaking with laughter at the sidelines.

Using your phone, you typed out, 'It was a misunderstanding. I tickled him and he was trying to get me back.'

After reading those words, the furious aura around Momoi disappeared entirely. "Oh, if that was what it was, you should have told me earlier, (Last Name)-chan...!"

Aomine groaned. "You had to go and punch me at a pressure point, did you?"

Momoi grinned. "But if I didn't, you wouldn't have been affected at all! Now then, (Last Name)-chan, let's get away from this monster and go to class!"

And you were escorted out by Momoi, who was sending angry looks over her shoulder at Aomine Daiki, following the two of you to class.

* * *

That evening when you arrived in your room, you were greeted by a surprise. Sitting on your bed was your brother, Souta. You looked at him, confused.

"Onee-chan, please come home...! Mommy and daddy are being mean to me...!"

Looking at the crying young boy sitting on the side of your bed, you sigh a bit before embracing him lightly.

Souta was only 6 years old when you had gotten in the train accident. Because of your condition, your parents decided to pressure him into becoming a perfect adult. He was forced to take business lessons, etiquette classes, and attend a private middle school. As a result, Souta had a hard time at home.

You run your hand through his short hair, calming him down. You wait until his breathing eases and his eyes droop. Soon, he was fast asleep.

The door to your room suddenly opens, and your frantic mother rushes in. "Souta...! Oh my goodness, I thought you had been kidnapped!"

You put a finger to your lips, signifying that your younger brother was asleep. Your mother presses her lips into a straight line, nodding stiffly at you. She tells one of the guards that had come with her to bring Souta onto the car.

When Souta had been carried out of the room, your mother stepped up to you and slapped you across the face.

"What in the world were you thinking, you useless child? Souta could have been anywhere! Why didn't you call first and tell me where he was?"

You looked into your mother's enraged eyes. How did she expect you to answer her question? Calmly, you go over to your desk and pick up a whiteboard resting on it, before writing.

'He was crying. He said that you and father were being mean to him. He wanted me to go home.'

As your mother read those words, fury flashed across her face, distorting her pretty features. "Don't you dare tell me things like that! We always think about Souta! And there is no way you are coming home. You are a terrible influence, you mute, incompetent girl!"

Even though your mother had said those words to you so many times, they still stung. You recoil slightly as your mother draws in a shaky breath, before turning abruptly and exiting your room, slamming the door close.

Sighing, you slid down the wall that you were unconsciously leaning against. Every time you met your mother, her treatment of you got worse. You touch your stinging cheek gently before wincing and heading into the kitchen to get an ice pad. Then, you sit down on your couch and pull out a book, resting your chin on a pillow. As the time ticked by, you felt yourself drifting to sleep.

x x x

_"I...like you..."_

_A 13 year-old Aomine stared down at the trembling (Hair Colored) girl that was looking down at the floor._

_"E-Excuse me...?" He stammered, clearly surprised at the sudden confession. "Sorry but what was your name again...?"_

_The girl looked up at him, hurt by the obvious rejection. "W-well...if you don't remember me then...never mind. I'm going now."_

_Aomine watched as the young girl ran across the platform, her long hair flowing out behind her like a curtain. Then suddenly, a train sped by._

_"Watch out-" The girl is suddenly shoved across the platform, and lands on the other side on her knees. As she turns, the accident happens._

_In front of her was Aomine Daiki, caught in the middle of the train accident, blood pooling around him. Her eyes widen with horror, and she screams._

_'It's my fault...my fault..." _

_The girl stays on the floor, numb with shock as an ambulance approaches. People swarmed around her, and a man dressed in white places his hand on her shoulder._

_"Are you alright?"_

_He shook the girl's shoulder gently, and she could only stare numbly at the scene before her._

_The young girl was still in a state of shock as the doctor helped her up and brought her into the ambulance. Upon arriving at the hospital, she sat outside of the room that Aomine was in._

_An hour later, an exhausted surgeon came out. "He'll be alright," the man said, patting the girl on the shoulder. "Luckily, the train didn't hit him directly. The only problem was that he had a slight brain damage- I don't know what he will be like when he sees you."_

_A wave of relief washes over the girl, and her dull eyes light up slightly. "W-when can I go in and see him?"_

_The doctor smiles. "He's awake right now, so it should be fine."_

_The girl draws a deep breath and enters the hospital room. Sitting on the bed was Aomine Daiki, staring out the window. He turns and looks at the girl._

_"A-Aomine...! Thank goodness..." The girl steps towards the blue haired youth._

_"Who...are you?"_

_At those words, the girl stops immediately. "A-Aomine...?"_

_(Eye color) orbs are drawn to the large bandage on his back. The bandage was slightly red- it was evident that there was an extremely deep wound there. If anything, there would be a permanent scar that not even surgery could fix._

_'No.' You did not want this. A small confession had led to his injury. If only you hadn't said those words...If only you were silent then none of this would have happened. You feel your heart speed up and your throat constrict. Within seconds, your world goes black._

x x x

Your eyes open wide at the sudden dream, and you sit up, breathing harshly. You draw a deep shaky breath. As you run your hand through your hair, only one thought runs through your head.

_"What the hell was that?"_


	5. Chapter 5

You stare blankly at the melted ice lying in a puddle on your couch. As time passes by, you only feel yourself becoming increasingly confused.

_What? What was that dream...?_

A sudden ring from your cellphone startles you out of your dreamlike state. You pick it up hesitantly and glance at the name flashing across the screen. It was Momoi.

Picking up, you look at the text that she had sent you.

_'(Last Name)-chan? Dai-kun and all of the other basketball members are having lunch, and it's lonely being the only girl here...can you come? We're eating at (nearby restaurant).'_

You smile lightly at the prospect of seeing your pink haired friend. But the thought of Aomine makes your forehead pound and your hands damp. The scene of him, who you had always thought of as strong and invincible, crushed and bleeding flashed through your mind. You draw a shaky breath, before replying.

_'Sorry, Momoi-san. I'm not feeling that well. See you tomorrow?'_

Within seconds you see her reply, telling you that she hoped you felt better soon. A feeling of relief washes over you, and you throw the mobile onto the table in front of you. Groaning, you get up and run your hand through your messy hair, stretching slightly. Now there was only one remaining problem.

_How the heck were you going to face Aomine?_

x x x

You stop in front of your classroom door, praying that he wasn't sitting in his seat. The odds of him being there were pretty low in the first place. You breathe in deeply, before opening the door, your eyes flickering to the chair that he usually sat in.

He wasn't there.

You feel a sense of comfort at the thought that you wouldn't have to face him first thing in the morning. A small smile adorning your features, you were about to step into the classroom when-

"Oy." Your breath hitches at the sudden voice that sounded from behind you. _Oh no. Oh no oh no..._

You hold your breath and continue walking forward, trying to act like you hadn't noticed anything. Sitting down, you smile obliviously and nervously, staring straight ahead.

"Tch. Going to ignore me again, huh?" You feel the back of Aomine's knuckles rap on your head before the scraping of a chair against tile is heard. Scowling slightly, you pull out your notebooks for the day.

"Good morning, (Last Name)-chan~!" The door suddenly slams open to reveal Momoi skipping into the classroom, a bright smile plastered on her face. She wraps you in a smothering hug before placing her backpack down on her seat.

"Hey, Satsuki." Aomine drawls out, sounding bored. "What's up with you this morning? You're acting really creepy." Momoi pouts.

"I always act this way, Dai-chan! We do have a training camp coming up after all! I was practicing cooking all last night, and I am positive I'm getting better!"

You hear Aomine shift nervously. "O-oh. I see..."

Glancing at Momoi, you notice the tense aura around her. You tilt your head to a side slightly, confused.

"(Last Name)-chan~! You know, the basketball club is going to go on a training camp this year to improve our team play! You should come along too- well, I guess you need the coaches permission for that. I'll ask him about it later, okay?"

You stare at her blankly, trying to process everything that she had just said. Going on a _training camp?_ With a club you weren't even _a part of?_ Was that even allowed?

The bell then rang, and your homeroom teacher entered the classroom, silencing the talkative students. "Okay, everyone, settle down..."

And with that, the class sank into its usual stupor, and you began taking your notes once again.

* * *

After school, you stood outside of the school gym. The sound of squeaking basketball shoes and the yelling of the captain was heard from behind the double doors. Nervously, you open the door and glance inside.

"(Last Name)-chan~!" An enthusiastic pinkette spots you cowering by the door, and runs over to you grabbing your hands, and practically dragging you into the gym.

"Everyone~! This is (Last Name) (First Name)! She's going to come with us on our training camp to cook meals for us~!" Many eyes swiveled in the direction of Momoi's voice.

You flush heavily at the sudden attention Momoi drew to you. "Don't worry, (Last Name)-chan! The coach said that you could come if you would cook for us- I wanted to do that, but oh well..."

"You're noisy, Satsuki," A voice grumbles from the bleachers, making you instinctively turn. Aomine Daiki was sprawled across the seat, draining water from a waterbottle. "You didn't have to say that- we all know already. The coach mentioned it to us."

Satsuki frowned. "I know that already! But I wanted to say it, after all, I invited (Last Name)-chan..." She whined, and wrapped her arms around your midsection before grabbing your arms and dragging you away from the rest of the group. When she was a good couple feet away from them, she took a deep breath and placed her hands on your shoulders.

"You can cook right?"

You can't help but crack a smile at her sudden question. When you were small, your grandma had often taught you cooking when staying at her house during the summer. She was one of the few people that were nice to you, but she had died when you were six. You incline your head, signifying that you could.

"Thank goodness!" Momoi breathed a sigh of relief. "The coach was saying that the person I invited had to be able to cook- not that I can't I mean." She smiled brightly at you before giving you a pat on the shoulder. "Why don't you watch the team practice while you're waiting?"

As Momoi turns and runs back to the court, you lean on a nearby wall and sit down slowly. Your eyes flash across the court, drinking in the details of the team playing before you.

To put it simply, they were a poor team. You could notice that they were making efforts to pass to each other and such, but the looks in their eyes told you that they were not accustomed to this kind of play. A glance at each of the players told you that they were strong individually, but they couldn't play as 'one'. You could only assume that they were trying to get used to it and to build confidence in one another. You feel amusement bubbling up in your chest as you watch one of the players attempt to shoot before changing their mind mid-jump and trying to pass to another player, failing miserably.

As your eyes continue to scan the room, you notice Momoi, conflict swirling in her pink orbs. You noticed her hesitation as she glanced at Aomine, who was still lounging on the bleachers. Clearly, she wanted Aomine to go and get used to the team play if they wanted to stand a chance against Seirin next year.

Momoi continued to stare at the blue haired giant, before you felt that she should just go and approach him. Huffing, you stood up and marched straight up to his face.

'_In front of her was Aomine Daiki, caught in the middle of the train accident, blood pooling around him.'_

_'Her eyes widen with horror, and she screams.'_

You draw a shaky breath, your steps faltering, doing your best to push the scene that suddenly flashed through your mind away. Aomine turns at the sound of your footsteps, and his midnight blue eyes clash with yours.

_"Who...are you?"_

You feel your palms becoming damp as you near him. Taking another breath, you grab onto his sleeve, pointing at the court.

"The hell?" you hear him mutter under his breath as he ignores you and turns away. You feel annoyance override your uneasy feeling for a split second.

But a glance at his back makes that feeling come back- tenfold. You see a scar slashed diagonally across his toned muscles, standing out against his dark skin. Even from under his jersey you can make out the shape of the wound.

'_If anything, there would be a permanent scar that not even surgery could fix.'_

You feel it again. That choking sensation. Trapped. Suddenly, the smothering sensation of being suffocated once again overwhelms your body. You gasp before falling down onto the floor, clutching at your chest.

"O-oy, why are you...?" Aomine had turned towards you again, noticing you collapsed on the floor by him. A small scream from the other side of the gym alerts you of Momoi's presence nearing you.

"C-call a nurse from the infirmary...!" she said, before rushing over by your side and running a hand down your back, attempting to ease your breathing.

A spasm passes through your body and you shudder involuntarily.

_Just how long is this torture going to last...?_

Suddenly, you feel large arms wrap around your waist and legs. You feel yourself being cradled against someone.

"You guys are all so damn slow. I'm taking her to the infirmary."

You feel your vision fading as your breathing begins to ease slightly. You inhale a familiar scent, and utter one small word.

"Aomine..."

And as quiet as that word was, and though you were unaware that you had managed to speak aloud, your small voice caused a certain giant to freeze up.

"(L-Last Name)...?"

* * *

Your eyes flickered open. As your vision gradually adjusts to the dim light in the room, you find yourself staring up at a white ceiling.

_'Where...am I...?'_

"You're in the infirmary." A deep voice replies to your unvoiced question. Turning your head, you see Aomine sitting in a corner near your bed, a magazine in his hand.

You eye the small pamphlet that he held, and snorted. Even after 4 years, he hadn't changed at all. he was still the same stupid pervert he had been in middle school.

Aomine notices your expression, before smirking. "What, jealous?" he teased. You scowl before attempting to climb out of the bed. Placing one unsteady foot on the white tiles of the infirmary, you suddenly feel yourself lurch forward, falling. You shut your eyes, preparing yourself for the impact.

A sudden clash of a chair alerts you of the movement of the blue haired boy. You feel a pair of muscular arms encircle your waist as Aomine stops your fall.

"Careful, (Last Name)."

A sudden blush paints your face bright red, and you find yourself unable to do anything. Leaning up against his muscular figure, you remember the day when he had caught you when you had tripped down the stairs.

Your eyes flicker up to his face ever so slightly, and you see him staring back at you.

"Hey, (Last Name)...Do I know you...?"

Suddenly, the infirmary door crashes open, making you and Aomine leap to opposite sides of the room. "(Last Name)-chan! I'm so glad you're alright...!"

You see Momoi running towards you for a split second before you are encased in a bear hug. "You have no idea how worried I was...!"

You only smile lightly before returning Momoi's hug a bit. Momoi grins and sits down on the bed. Her attention is suddenly diverted to Aomine.

"Dai-chan, are you blushing?"

Momoi's sudden comment made your eyes flicker towards Aomine's towering figure. Indeed, on his face, was a tinge of bright red.

"Shut up Satsuki." He grunted, picking up his fallen magazine. Momoi's eyes narrow suspiciously as Aomine uprights the fallen stool.

"What were you doing with (Last Name)-chan before I came in here, Dai-chan?"

A sudden crash of metal meeting the floor tells you that Aomine had dropped the chair on the floor again. "N-nothing!"

Despite the situation, you couldn't help but giggle silently. The great Aomine Daiki was stuttering and blushing! How rare.

"Dai-chan, you didn't do anything..._naughty..._ with her while I wasn't looking, were you?"

The suggestive comment that Momoi dropped left you flaming red. Aomine choked.

"W-we were NOT." he retorts. "Shut the hell up!"

Momoi grins. "Great~! Because (Last Name)-chan is mine~!" She tackles you in another hug before dragging you out the door, leaving a flushed, clumsy Aomine alone in the infirmary.

* * *

**So Aomine can be embarrassed too ;) Hope you guys all liked this chapter. I apologize for the late update- I had so much homework this week I didn't have a single moment of spare time... I usually don't do author's notes on this story but I do want to clarify a few things in case of unnecessary confusion.**

**First of all, the dream that Reader-chan had was the cause of her asthma attacks. Basically, it was the memory that she had forgotten. As seen in the first chapter, Reader-chan remembered that Aomine had tried to warn her of the oncoming train, 'but it was too late'. The truth was that Reader-chan turned and saw the train, before she was shoved across the platform by Aomine, who got hit. The brain damage that Aomine got caused him amnesia- but he only forgot about 'you'. Your muteness happened because you blamed yourself for confessing to him, the main event that lead to his injury. The sight of the injury and the weight of guilt was what causes your asthma attacks.**

**Quick explanation, hope that wasn't too much xD Please look forward to the next chapter~! All reviews, likes, and favorites are greatly appreciated :D**


	6. Chapter 6

It was a considerably sunny day when the basketball club was heading towards their destination for a training camp: the beach. You trailed behind the rest of the group as they boarded a bus that the school had rented.

"(Last Name)-chan~!" You feel a sudden weight on your back as a certain pinkette hugged you from behind. "Are you ready to go swimming?"

You stare at her confused. Wasn't this supposed to be a training camp?

"Oy, Satsuki." Aomine walked up behind the two of you. "We're going to train, not to have fun."

Momoi pouted. "I know, Dai-chan~! But (Last Name)-chan and I get to play since we're just tagging along~!" Momoi squealed enthusiastically as she pulled you onto the bus by your hands. "Don't worry, (Last Name)-chan~! I picked out a really cute swimsuit for you too!" You smiled slightly as you listened to Momoi's excited chattering. It had been a long time since you last got to go anywhere fun, so you were looking forward to the trip.

Aomine grunted and climbed onto the bus after the two of you. "What a hassle..." he grumbled. As lazy as he was, Momoi had forced him to go to the training camp with the rest of the team. Momoi giggled as she sat down next to you in one of the bus seats.

The rest of the team was already situated on the bus. Momoi rummages in her bag, looking for something.

"Hey, (Last Name)-chan, you should carry a notepad and a pen around regularly. It would be easier for you to communicate you know..." She suddenly pulled out a small notepad and handed it to you. A small smile appears on your face, and you scribble down the words 'thank you' on the paper.

Momoi reads what you wrote before glomping you tightly. "You're so cute, (First Name)-chan~!" she buried her face in your chest, and you feel your neck turning warm at her comment.

"Satsuki, shut up already..." a low voice grumbled from behind your seats. You peek over the top of your seat to see Aomine with his eyes half closed, glaring at the two of you.

"Aww, Dai-chan... You're just jealous that I'm closer to (First Name)-chan than you are, aren't you?" Momoi grinned as Aomine's eyes narrowed.

"Don't say such things, Satsuki." Aomine yawned. "The brat is just a nuisance..."

"You say that, but you only agreed to come when the coach agreed to have (Last Name)-chan attend~! You were worried that she'd collapse again, right? How adorable, Dai-chan~!" Momoi smirked teasingly as a light shade of pink dusted Aomine's cheeks. "You even carried her to the infirmary a couple of days ago..."

"Yeah, and she was damn heavy," Aomine grumbled under his breath. You kick his leg from under your seat, making him wince.

Aomine grumbled, glaring at you. "Oy, that hurt." You smile innocently at him before turning back to face the front. Momoi smiled lightly at your childish behavior.

_'This was going to be a long training camp...'_

x x x

"Gather around, everyone!"

The entire basketball team had arrived at the beach after an hour of being on the bus. Upon arriving, it took an hour to actually find the inn the team was supposed to be staying at.

You and Momoi were sitting in the shade of an umbrella, watching the rest of the team play basketball in the sand.

As the team sprints back and forth on the beach's basketball court, you feel your eyes drawn on Aomine, who was grumbling the entire time about how hot it was. With the sun beating down, you couldn't imagine how torturous it must be to have your bare feet come into contact with the burning sand.

You let a small sigh escape your parted lips, and you feel a trickle of sweat run down the back of your neck. You were amazed that the basketball team was able to continue in the heat. You had only been outside for thirty minutes, and you were beginning to regret not bringing cooler clothing. Your shirt was starting to cling to you, making you feel uncomfortable. You stand up eventually, unable to stand the suffocating heat anymore. Momoi notices your rising figure and turns to look at you.

"Oh, (Last Name)-chan? Do you want to go get changed now? It's getting really warm, and I've collected enough data for today anyways..."

You nod and smile at Momoi, before bending over and offering her your hand, which Momoi takes.

Your movements caught the attention of Aomine, who muttered something about safety. Momoi glared at him. "You know, Dai-chan, if you're worried then you should just say so. Plus, we're just going down to the beach. There's nothing to be worried about~!" Momoi grinned cheekily at Aomine's flustered expression.

"I-I was not worried, dumbass." Aomine grumbled, before turning back to focus his attention on the court.

You fought the smile that was appearing on your lips. Sometimes, you found yourself seeing the side of Aomine that had disappeared when he became better at basketball that you missed so much. You knew that Aomine treated people that he worried about differently; though it was hard to tell the difference at first, if you got to know him, you could see that he was softer towards the people that he cared about.

Momoi sticks her tongue out at Aomine before pulling you towards the inn. "You should be worried, Dai-chan! It won't be my fault if (Last Name)-chan gets hit on because she looks sexy in her swimsuit!"

You blush, but a silent giggle escapes your lips when you see Aomine trip and fall at Momoi's words.

x x x

You shift uncomfortably, pulling at the strap of the bikini top that Momoi had given you. Under normal occasions, you avoided wearing anything that clung to closely to your figure. If you had known that the weather would be this suffocating, you would have brought your own swimsuit.

The door was suddenly pushed open to reveal Momoi, dressed in a teal two piece. She stared at you for a minute before a wide grin breaks out on her face.

"(Last Name)-chan~! You look so nice in that swimsuit! You should let me pick out your clothes more often!" You feel arms surround your neck as Momoi wraps you in a hug. You flush slightly at her comment before she drags you out of the door.

You squirm and grab onto Momoi's arm, hiding behind her. Momoi giggled at your actions. "Don't worry, (Last Name)-chan~! You don't have to be so shy..." Suddenly, you feel an intense gaze burn into your back. Flinching, you turn around slowly and find yourself face to face with Aomine Daiki.

Momoi looks at where your gaze was directed, noticing the rest of the basketball team sitting nearby, taking in deep gulps of air.

"Are you guys on your break already? Well, I'll go grab some water bottles for you guys, so just wait a bit..."

You feel your face turn red as navy blue eyes raked across your figure. Aomine smirked. "Nine out of ten. Not bad..."

Your mouth drops open slightly at his blunt comment, before you kick him hard in the leg and running off to the water fountain. Momoi sighs as she eyes Aomine rubbing his leg, grumbling.

"You really shouldn't go around rating girls randomly like that, Dai-chan...They'll come to hate you..."

"Shut up, Satsuki."

x x x

You and Momoi were sitting on a bench under a shady tree at the beach. You let out a sigh of contentment as a salty breeze blows through your hair.

"Hey, (Last Name)-chan, do you want me to put some sunscreen on your back?" You nod at her, before lying down on the blanket. You sigh in contentment as you feel the cold sunscreen come into contact with your spine.

You shiver as you feel the gazes of several boys staring at you and Momoi. The pinkette frowns. "Don't worry, (Last Name)-chan," she murmured. "I don't think that any of them are brave enough to approach you anyways. They won't do anything, especially with him around..." She finishes applying the sunscreen and screws the cap back on the bottle.

You look up at her, confused. Suddenly, a large shadow shields the sun from your face. You peer up to see Aomine Daiki towering over you.

Momoi grins when she notices the blue haired giant.

"Oh my, what a surprise! Why are you here, Dai-chan?" Her voice was laced with playful sarcasm, and it was obvious that she knew the reason for Aomine's appearance.

You stand up, glaring at him. The look in your eyes were clearly challenging. Aomine stared at you for a bit, before his eyes dropped downwards. You feel heat creep up your neck, and your face became bright red. You cross your arms over your chest before turning around abruptly with a toss of your head. Suddenly, you feel something soft come in contact with your head.

You reach up and find Aomine's T-shirt on your head. Looking up at him, you tilt your head slightly, confused.

"Wear it, damnit. Or do you want all of those guys to stare at you?"

You pout. You did not want to wear a T-shirt when it was so hot. Grabbing the T-shirt, you throw it back in Aomine's face.

"Tch. Whatever." Aomine grumbled, before shooting one of the guys staring at you a glare.

"Aw, Dai-chan... You should just tell her that you don't want boys checking her out..." Momoi giggled and stood up. "I'm going to go back now~!" And she walked away, leaving you flustered, standing alone with the blue-haired ace.

* * *

You were currently in the kitchen, chopping up some carrots that you were going to saute with chicken for dinner. A small smile forms on your lips as you relish in the familiar calmness of cooking in a kitchen, with delicious smells floating around the room.

"Hey, give me some of that." You feel a muscular figure suddenly press up against your back. Your back tenses as you recognize Aomine, who had entered the kitchen to grab something to eat. A tanned armed reached over your head and grabbed an onigiri off of the plate of rice balls you had made. You elbow him in the stomach, before shooting a glare at him.

"You can be really violent..." Aomine grumbled before stuffing the rice ball into his mouth. He stays silent for a moment, and you fidget, half hoping that he would compliment your cooking.

"What a surprise...You can actually cook." You feel a twinge of anger run through your system.

"Hey, give me some more..." You hear him say, before he reaches back over again, grabbing another rice ball.

His action only fuels your annoyance, and you grab the onigiri out of his hand. Aomine scowled, before backing you up against a wall.

"That was mine, (Last Name)." You gulp nervously as he towers over you, slamming his fist above your head. You close your eyes for a split second, and the rice ball was gone from your hands. Aomine sat down on the kitchen counter, munching on the stolen food.

Pouting, you go back to pick up the knife and resumed the task of cutting up carrots. When you finished, you dumped the vegetable into a pan together with some chicken before starting to fry the two. A delicious aroma filled the room as you finished cooking and poured the side dish onto a plate. Grabbing two platters, you brought them out of the door and set them down on a table outside. You frowned at the sight of Aomine lazing around the kitchen, staring at you. Pursing your lips, you reach out to pick up another dish, only to be cut by the sharp edge of a chipped side.

Flinching, you withdraw your hand. You had forgotten that there was a plate that had been slightly damaged. You wince and notice blood coming out of the small wound. The sight of the red fluid dripping down from your finger made your head pound slightly. You hated the sight of blood more than anything- especially after you had that dream about the train accident. You grimace, holding your throbbing head.

"What the hell are you doing? Stop standing around like an idiot and get that treated already..." In a couple of heavy footsteps, Aomine had grabbed your petite hands and was busy examining the wound. You blush as he suddenly puts your finger in his mouth, sucking on the wound gently.

"What?" Aomine grumbled when he saw your flustered expression. "You're getting blood on the floor you know. Satsuki's gonna freak. Where the hell are the bandaids?"

You watched as he stalked out of the kitchen, going through some of cabinets in an attempt to find a first aid kit. Your heart thudded against your rib cage violently, to the point where it felt painful. You draw in a deep gulp of air, trying to relieve your nervousness. You could only think one thought as your eyes followed Aomine's retreating back.

_'Damn that arrogant, sly bastard.'_


	7. Chapter 7

A couple of hours ago, the entire basketball team had intruded upon your room, which happened to be one of the largest ones in the inn. Momoi wasn't planning to stay in the inn, since she lived nearby. Because there was a television sitting on the table in front of your bed, the team had entered, made themselves comfortable, and promptly inserted a movie disk into the video player. And of course, they had to select a horror movie.

You absolutely _hated _horror movies.

The first time you had been exposed to the nature of the gruesome tales of horror was when you were five. You were at school with your friends, innocent and carefree for the most part. Then one day, a boy brought a movie to school for show-and-tell. The teacher decided to play the movie and go slack off in the teacher's lounge. Little did the teacher know, the boy's elder brother had hidden a rated R horror movie inside. You couldn't sleep at all for an entire week after watching that movie.

You had curled yourself up as tiny as possible in the corner of the room furthest from the television, flinching whenever a scream is heard from the dvd player, usually followed by the sound of splattering blood. Your face pales when you open your eyes ever so slightly to see how much of the movie was left, before you cover your ears, burying your face in your knees. You had your eyes closed for a long time, before the music in the background finally faded away.

You opened one of your eyes just slightly to confirm the movie was over. And that one second your eyes were open, you saw a distorted, bloody face lunch onto the screen with a knife stained with red liquid before the screen turned black. Your lips utter a silent scream before you once again hide your face in your knees, frozen in place as chattering begins to break out among the rest of the basketball team.

"Hey you. What the hell are you doing?" You feel a warm hand pat your shoulder none too gently. "Don't tell me that movie actually scared you, did it?"

You had reached your limit.

Within the next five seconds, you had practically thrown yourself onto the Aomine and buried your face in his chest, your body shivering, tears trickling down your face.

"Oy." You flinch slightly when you recognize the voice, but the thoughts of the movie drowned out your ability to think straight.

"Let go of me, damnit." You shake your head stubbornly, before wrapping your trembling arms around Aomine's waist, taking in fistfuls of his shirt, drawing in shaky breaths.

You feel yourself calming down slightly as the basketball team started to stretch after sitting on the floor for two hours, ignoring you and Aomine. The room eventually becomes silent as the rest of the team exits the room, a couple of them saying a small 'good night'. Eventually, only you and Aomine were left.

A silence stretches between the two of you as your sobs eventually subside, and you finally release your death grip on Aomine's shirt. Aomine sighs as he runs his hand through your (hair colored) locks, tugging slightly at the ends.

"Calmed down yet?" He grumbled, disgruntled by the close proximity. You flush slightly as you push yourself off of him, giving him a small apologetic smile.

"Then I'm going now." His sudden words make your eyes widen, and you watch as he turns to walk out the door. You instinctively grab onto the back of his shirt, before letting go immediately when he stops and turns around, eyebrows raised at your sudden action. Your face turns red and your eyes flicker across the room before you settle on staring at his feet, hoping that they would force the blue haired giant to turn around and leave the room if you willed hard enough.

A low chuckle startles you out of your thoughts. You look up slightly to see Aomine, a ghost of the smile he used to have in middle school on his face. "If you were scared of the damn movie you should have just said so," he said, his smile disappearing as quickly as it came. Instead, a cocky smirk replaced the smile, and he turned around before exiting the room, leaving you alone.

You were planning to go to sleep, but you found it impossible. For an hour, you lay awake in the darkness. The only sounds you heard were the ticking of the clock and the beating of your heart. You sigh, and squeeze your eyes shut, hoping to erase the horrendous image that you had seen on the television screen. After a while, you finally managed to drift off to sleep.

Yet an hour later, you found yourself awake, tears streaming down your face, your chest heaving in an attempt to force air into your lungs. You sit up abruptly, trying to get rid of the choking sensation in your throat.

It was that again. That dream, even more vivid than before. But the one scene that was burned into your mind was that one that you wished you could forget.

_Aomine. Aomine. Aomine..._

Your mouth opens, and silent, familiar syllables slip off of your tongue. And unexpectedly, you hear a voice.

"Aomine..."

You freeze. You had not expected yourself to speak, and the very thought, as wonderful as the prospect was, scared you. Why now, of all times? A sudden rattling of the window screen makes you whip your head around, startled.

Staring at you through the window was a pair of crimson red eyes, the color of blood. You stared back at the figure outside of your room for about a minute.

And then you scream.

Had it been any other normal day, you would have noticed that your voice was back, though not very strong. But currently, with the horrors of the movie you had watched and the shocking sight of someone standing outside of your window, you couldn't have cared less.

You jumped immediately out of the bed, flung open the door, and was about to run down the corridor before you bumped into something. Or someone.

"O-oy, calm down." You look up to see a familiar pair of midnight blue eyes looking down at you. With a choked cry, you grab onto his shirt before your legs decide to give out and you collapse on the floor.

"...Someone...outside..." you breathed out, slightly, tears streaming down your face. You let out a small moan before burying your face in your knees, trying to rid yourself of the image you had seen.

Aomine walks briskly past your figure before looking out the window. "No one's there. You're imagining things." When you refused to move, Aomine let out a small sigh.

A small squeak of surprise leaves your lips as a pair of arms wraps around your waist as he picks you up.

"I would ask how the hell you are speaking perfectly fine right now if it weren't for the fact that you are frightened out of your mind..." Aomine grumbled, dropping you back onto your bed. "You did it before, you know. Talking."

Your eyes widen slightly in surprise as you finally register the fact that you had managed to speak. Aomine snorts at your expression.

"What, are you so dumb you still haven't realized this?"

You shoot him a glare, before your mouth opens in a retort.

"Shut up."

Then you laugh at how ridiculous the notion was of your voice coming back so suddenly. Aomine frowned for a moment, rubbing at his temples. You opened your mouth again, wanting to say something else before a hand clamped over your face.

"Be quiet. Hearing you speak makes my head hurt." Aomine muttered, before sitting down next to you on your bed. You pout, before letting out a sigh you realized you had been holding onto for a long time. You climb under your blankets, shivering as your skin came into contact with the cold fabric. You grab onto a large, tan hand just as Aomine was going to leave. You flush lightly when you realize what you had done again. Instinctively, you knew that you wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully that night.

"Stay with me...? Please...?" You say in a quiet voice. Aomine only stared at you, before letting out a sigh.

"Alright then. Until you fall asleep, okay?" Aomine sits down on your bed, grumbling slightly, his hand still intertwined with yours.

You smile lightly as you feel a warmth spread across your palm, and you close your eyes.

_"Thank you, Aomine..."_

Those were your last words before you drifted off to sleep.

x x x

The next morning, you woke up in a very troubling situation. A pair of arms were snaked around your waist, pulling you up against a muscular chest. You feel a chin on top of your head, and hear the steady breathing of a certain individual behind you.

A blush rises onto your cheeks when you realize that Aomine Daiki had somehow ended up in your bed. You try to get up, only to be forced back down by the legs that had been entangled with yours. You feel the pounding of your heart increase as his grip around your waist suddenly tightened, forcing you to be drawn closer to his chest.

"A-Aomine..." your voice was extremely faint, and hard to hear. You try to push yourself away from the blue haired giant, but found yourself unable to. You squirmed a bit, only to have yourself pulled more into the embrace of the ace. Curses fly through your head as you attempt to free yourself from his grasp, before you finally let out a sigh and give up. You spent the rest of the time trying to calm down the frenzied beating of your heart.

* * *

When Aomine woke up, you had been halfway out of his death grip. He yawned, stretching lazily.

"Good mornin'. You make a good pillow, (Last Name)."

You feel a vein twitch in your head at his words, before you let out a huff of air and turn your head away from him to hide the embarrassment shining on your face.

A creak of the bed alerts you of the giant shifting slightly. You were about to get up when a pair of arms wraps around your waist and pulls you back under the blankets, making you squeal.

"Let me sleep a bit more, would you?" you hear him growl into your ears, making you turn bright red.

"N-no! Let me go, Aomine!" you squeal slightly as he suddenly tickles your abdomen, making you laugh. You were struggling to escape his grasp when the door suddenly opens and a certain pinkette enters the room.

"Good morning, (Last Name)-chan~! Did you sleep well? I heard you watched a horror movie last night- goodness I can't stand those-"

She freezes when she spots Aomine and you entangled on a bed. Together. Under the blankets.

Let's just say she did not quite like what she saw.

x x x

That morning, Aomine was sporting various bruises all over his face, while you were sitting in between him and Momoi for breakfast. You let out a small sigh of satisfaction as you took a bite out of the toast and jam before you turn over to Aomine, smirking.

"Looks like you shouldn't have messed with me, eh, Aomine?" You say in a strained voice. Your voice had come back, much to your surprise, and it hasn't gone away yet. This has happened several times in the past, but each time it would be gone again in an hour or two. You decided to attempt some voice exercises later in the day. You remembered the shock on Momoi's face when you spoke to her earlier in an attempt to calm her down.

"Shut up. Like I said, it makes my head hurt to hear you talk." Aomine grumbled, wincing as he placed a hand over a bruise on his cheek. "Get me a damn ice pack- these things hurt like hell."

Momoi grinned contently as she took a sip of the milk that you had warmed up earlier for her. A sigh escapes your parted lips as you get up and head to the kitchen to grab an ice pack for the grumbling giant. A sudden presence behind you tells you that Aomine had followed you into the room.

It was a silent process, getting the ice pack out of the refrigerator. However, this only made you more aware of his presence, and you found yourself being increasingly self conscious.

You reach out a hand to him, holding out the ice pack in front of you. He takes the ice pack, before pushing it up against one of his bruises. You steal a glance up at him, and it startled you when you found piercing midnight blue eyes staring into your own.

"Are you sure that we haven't met before, (Last Name)? Because I swear we've met before... You seem so familiar yet I can't put my finger on it..."

You shake your head nervously as your palms break out into nervous sweat. Aomine lets out a small sigh before grumbling about wanting eggs and exiting the kitchen, leaving you alone.

You try to calm the pounding of your heart with no avail. After the time that you had spent with Aomine, you found it flooding back- the memories of when the two of you always hung out, the times when he would give you 'special treatment'. It made you feel different from his others friends, and you liked that. You had fallen for the blue haired giant quite hard, and the day you decided to confess to him had you broken for days. Not only had you been rejected, he had been severely injured.

Yet as you stayed with him more, you found yourself falling for him all over again. His personality had changed, but he was still the same old Daiki. If there was anything that pained you more it was the immense guilt you felt whenever you heard him ask that question.

_"Do I know you?"_

You were fully aware that you should stay away from the male. He is someone that you liked a lot- someone that you loved even. But you couldn't erase the damage that you have done to him; the scar on his back was proof of that. You swallow thickly as you try to pacify the thudding of your heart against your rib cage.

_What should I do to make this feeling disappear?_


	8. Chapter 8

After breakfast, the basketball team was heading towards the gym to practice and warm up. Momoi had dragged you along to help the team with their teamwork. You were trailing behind Aomine, who was at the end of the group. Suddenly, Aomine's eyes narrow dangerously as he looks in front of him, and a low growl escapes his lips. Your eyes follow his and you find yourself seeing a tall redhead walking down the hallway in the opposite direction.

It was his eyes that startled you more than anything. They were a crimson red- the same color of the eyes you had seen last night outside of your window. You shudder and grab onto Aomine's shirt, hiding behind him.

"What's your problem?" He grumbled as he directed his gaze onto you.

"T-Those eyes...He was outside of my room last night..." You stutter quietly. Aomine frowns.

"Are you saying that Kagami's a stalker?" A sudden voice from behind you made you jump. You turn around abruptly and found yourself face to face with a boy with messy sky blue hair.

"E-eep!" A small squeal escapes your parted lips as your eyes widen in recognition.

"It's good to see you again, (Last Name)-san." Kuroko smiled lightly at your reaction. "And you too, Aomine-kun."

Aomine growled. "What the hell is Seirin doing here?"

"We're here to train, of course." The blunette responded. A sudden hand covers Kuroko's head, ruffling his hair slightly.

"Aomine." A gruff voice spoke, nodding slightly at the blue haired ace. You looked up to see the redhead from earlier standing behind Kuroko.

"Kagami." Aomine nodded slightly, acknowledging the redhead's presence. The boy named Kagami turned his eyes onto you, making you squeak and shrink further behind Aomine.

"Who the hell is this, Kuroko?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at you.

"(Last Name) (First Name). She used to go to Teiko- she actually plays a bit of basketball. Aomine taught her before-" You lunge forward and place your hands over Kuroko's mouth, making it impossible for him to say anymore. You looked up at Aomine nervously, and gulped when he narrowed his eyes.

"...Oy, Tetsu. What do you mean I taught her? I don't remember anything about this brat..."

You laughed nervously, grabbing Aomine's arm and tugging him after the rest of the team, who had managed to get quite a bit ahead of you and Aomine. "What are you talking about, Kuroko-san? I hardly play basketball- I mean, let's go, Aomine! The team is going to wait for you..." you say, before pulling Aomine away from the pair. Aomine scowled.

"(Last Name), let my arm go." You froze, turning around ever so slightly to see Aomine glaring at you.

"I want some answers, so I'll get some answers. What the hell is my connection with you?" He demanded. You flinch at his harsh tone, before letting go of his arm and backing up a bit. Aomine slams his fist over your head, making you wince as you heard it connect with the wall.

You refuse to look at him, and your eyes meet Kuroko's. You plead for him to save you silently, hoping that he would get the message. A sudden voice behind the two of you prevents Aomine from saying anything else.

"Dai-chan, (Last Name)-chan, hurry up! Everyone's already in the gym waiting..." Her voice trails off when she sees Kuroko and Kagami, and a squeal erupts from her throat.

"Tetsu-kun~! I wanted to see you~!" Momoi ran forward and threw her arms around Kuroko. You take the opportunity to slip out from under Aomine's arm and walk away as quickly as possible.

You finally arrive in the gym and see the rest of the basketball team practicing a couple of drills. Sitting down at the side of the court, you let out a small sigh as you watch the team sprint back and forth across the court. The sight made you feel a pang of nostalgia, reminding you of the days when you would see Aomine grinning and waving at you as he dribbled the basketball.

Bickering in the hallway alerted you of Momoi and Aomine approaching the gym. You snap your head around when you hear more footsteps than you had anticipated, and see another basketball team entering the room- Seirin. Momoi ran over to you with a smile on her face, before wrapping her arms around you in a hug.

"(Last Name)-chan, we're gonna have some practice matches with Serin today~! Isn't that exciting?" she squealed. You offered her a light hearted smile, before turning your attention to Aomine, who was striding onto the court.

It didn't take a genius to conclude that the blue haired ace had changed since middle school. He had grown taller now, you notice, and his figure had become considerably muscular. You watch as he stretches his arms, talking to Kuroko and Kagami. A small smile makes its way onto your lips as you watch him turn to you and wave.

He wasn't grinning like he was in middle school, but the sight still made you happy.

* * *

The three days at the camp had flown by quickly, and before you knew it, you were home. The camp wasn't something that was supposed to last long- just until the long weekend ended. After a night's rest, the entire basketball team was supposed to return to school again.

But for some reason, you got sick.

A cough escapes your parted lips and you sigh as you lie feverishly on the bed. You open your eyes groggily and look at the time. School had started an hour ago, and you were stuck in bed, too weak to move an inch, even to get some water. You groan and roll over, before coughing again.

Your phone vibrates, and you reach out a hand to grab it, only to miss and knock over a glass on the counter by your bed. You sigh before reaching and successfully enclosing your hand around the vibrating device and flipping the screen open. A small smile graces your lips as you see the message that you had received from Momoi.

'(Last Name)-chan, are you okay? I haven't seen you at school today, and Dai-chan is really really worried...'

You reply, saying that you were stuck in bed with a cold, before placing the phone down and groaning again. You force yourself out of your bed, before dragging your feet to the kitchen to get some water.

You had no idea why you had suddenly caught a fever. You grabbed a cip and poured yourself some water, before drinking the fluid quickly. Your nightgown was clinging to you, and it was really becoming annoying. You reached up to put the glass away, before opening the door to your living quarters leading outside to let in some cool air.

For a minute, you relish in the breeze blowing across your face before shivering and sneezing. Cursing inwardly, you close the door again before walking back to your bedroom. You see your phone vibrating again, and you pick it up to see another message from Momoi.

'Can you tell me your address? I want to stop by and visit later...'

You tiredly type in your address before sending the message to the pinkette. Then you lean over and pick up the glass that you had dropped earlier. Shuffling back to the kitchen, you reach up to place the glass in one of the cabinets before you suddenly feel dizzy.

The sound of the glass shattering on the kitchen tiles was the last thing you heard before you collapsed and passed out.

x x x

You barely registered yourself being carried to your bed and the grumbling voice of a certain male as you were covered with a blanket. A cold cloth was placed over your forehead, and you feel yourself relaxing under the coolness of the compress. It wasn't until an hour later that you suddenly woke up, and found yourself staring into a pair of midnight blue eyes.

"Finally awake, huh?" Aomine muttered, before heaving out a sigh and reaching over to replace your cold compress. "You scared the shit out of me. What the hell were you thinking, passing out on the floor like that?"

You give him a weak smile, before coughing slightly. Aomine frowns before reaching over and handing you some water, which you accepted gratefully.

"I thought you were supposed to be in school..." your voice was getting quieter and quieter, and you feel a frown make its way onto your face.

"I skipped. Big deal, they can't kick me out; they need me on the basketball team." You glare at his cocky attitude, before coughing again. Aomine smirked.

"You should be grateful I'm here, you know. I nearly got cut cleaning up that glass on the kitchen floor..."

You shoot him another glare, before trying to get up. Suddenly, you feel a pair of hands pushing you back under your blankets.

"What do you want? I'll go get it for you..." the ace said, and you couldn't help but crack a smile at how disdainful his expression was. "I brought some food from the convenience store too, if you want it."

"How did you get in here anyways?" you question, and Aomine frowned.

"Your door was unlocked. Be more careful, woman. You could have been robbed." You remember forgetting to lock the door earlier and sigh, before turning around in your bed.

"Well, if you don't want anything else, then I'm going to-"

"Stay." You immediately grabbed onto Aomine's sweater, and you turn around to face him. "Don't leave me alone..." you mumble. Aomine smirked again.

"What, love me so much you don't want me to leave?" He grinned as your face turned red- and it wasn't because of the fever.

"S-Shut up..."

"Calm down, I'm only going to get the porridge..." Aomine stood up and headed to your kitchen, before returning a while later with a bowl of steaming porridge in his hands.

"Here." You stare dumbly at the blue haired giant as he holds out a spoonful of porridge to you.

"I-I can feed myself...!" You stutter, flustered. A tinge of red appeared on the ace's cheeks.

"Just shut up and eat."

You stare at him, before obeying, flabbergasted. A giggle escapes you as you swallow the porridge that he gave you.

"You're blushing, Aomine."

Aomine groaned.

"I swear, my kindness is wasted on you..."

After you finished the porridge, Aomine forced some medicine down your throat before shoving you back under your blankets.

"Sleep." he commanded. You smile lightly and roll your eyes at his behavior, but you felt exhaustion taking over.

You feel sleep tugging at your eyelids, and you struggle to keep your eyes open, but you were losing the battle. You feel hands running through your tangled hair, and hear a low chuckle.

A smile finds its way onto the ace's lips as your eyes drift close.

"Good night, (Last Name)."


	9. Chapter 9

_Remember..._

Aomine woke from his sleep, never finding himself ever so utterly disturbed by a dream before. Groaning, he sat up from his position on the roof, rubbing his forehead with his hand, trying to ease some of the pain he felt.

The voice that echoed in his head remained, serving as a memory that kept making Aomine feel a strange sense of guilt- yet he did not know why. A growl escapes the ace's throat as his thoughts lingers on the dream a bit longer, hoping to remember the images he saw.

He remembered nothing.

Frustration overtook the male and he forced himself off of the rough floor, climbing down the ladder and jumping off the last couple of rungs. He felt ticked off, if anything, that he kept forgetting the dreams that he was having. Something about the dreams reminded him so badly of a certain (hair colored) girl, yet the scenes always disappeared into thin air as soon as he wakes up, not giving him a single chance to grasp them.

After being plagued by this problem for about a week, Aomoine Daiki was pissed.

He opened the door to the hallway, vowing to try his best not to kill the next person that he saw.

* * *

You were sitting idly inside the classroom during break. You sigh, thinking about how wonderful it would be to transport yourself back in time so that you were in middle school again.

You get out of your seat, grabbing your lunch, and headed up to the roof to eat. However, you were stopped when you bumped into Aomine, who was heading down the hall.

"What?" he grumbled, glaring at you. You flinch slightly under his harsh gaze, before letting out a huff of air and walking around him. Aomine sighs.

"As rude as ever, I see..." he mumbled, before trailing after you. You frowned, slightly confused. It was obvious that he had just come down from the roof top, why bother to go back up again?

You headed up the stairs, when suddenly someone shoved into you. A startled gasp escapes your lips, and before you knew it, you were tumbling backwards. You shut your eyes close, preparing yourself for the harsh impact of the ground.

But that impact never came.

You open one of your eyes, and find yourself staring into a pair of midnight blue eyes. Aomine growled, glaring at the first years that had knocked into you.

"Oy, first years! Watch where you're going!"

The students stammered a 'sorry' before turning and running off again. A satisfied grunt escaped the ace before he gave you a little push.

"Get off me. You're heavy." He muttered. You blushed lightly before backing up and putting some distance between yourself and the blue haired giant. Flustered, you continue up the steps and find yourself on a rooftop, which was empty.

The door opened again after you and Aomine sat down to reveal Momoi, who immediately latched herself onto your back.

"(First Name)-chan~! Do you want to go to the fall festival with me?"

You felt your arm twitch at the mention of the fall festival- it was the day that Aomine had gotten in the train accident. You forced a nervous smile onto your face, and nod slightly. Aomine, meanwhile, had grabbed your lunchbox and was opening it and stealing some of your tamagoyaki.

"Yay~! Do you have a kimono to wear?" Momoi asked, as she elbowed Aomine in the ribs. You shake your head no as a response to the manager's question, before grabbing your lunchbox back from Aomine's hands.

Momoi pouted at your response, before muttering something about the purpose of festivals.

Aomine shot Momoi a look at her words. "What do you mean, wearing kimonos are the purpose of festivals? This little brat doesn't look attractive in such frivolous things..." You feel a pang in your chest at his words, before shooting him a murderous glare.

"Do you want to come with us, Dai-chan?" the pinkette questioned.

"No. It's too troublesome..." Aomine replied, yawning.

"What do you mean, Dai-chan?" Momoi pouted before smothering you in a hug again. "(Last Name)-chan is actually really really popular with the boys, you know! She gets confessed to at least once or twice a month..." Your face turns red, and you cover Momoi's mouth with your hand in hopes of keeping her quiet.

Aomine's eyes narrowed. "Twelve to twenty four times a year..." he grumbled under his breath, a menacing look appearing in his eyes. Momoi smirked at his reaction.

"I bet that (Last Name)-chan could probably pick up a bunch of boys if she wore a kimono to the festival..." She added. Aomine stood up abruptly at her words, before clicking his tongue.

"...go."

Momoi looked up at Aomine cockily. "What was that, Dai-chan? I didn't hear you."

"I said I'll go, damnit! Shut the hell up, Satsuki!" A tinge of red appeared on the ace's cheeks as he walked briskly to the door before slamming it close behind him.

You tilted your head to a side at his dramatic exit.

"What was that all about...?" You asked Momoi. The pinkette grinned.

"Nothing...Absolutely nothing at all~!"

* * *

You were in Momoi's house, twitching uncomfortably as the manager of Too's basketball team fussed over a pile of makeup that she was attempting to apply on you.

"...Why do I have to put on all of this again?" You asked, coughing slightly as she began dusting foundation on your face.

"What are you talking about, (Last Name)-chan? The point of festivals is to dress up and look cute~! You need to make an effort, you know..."

"But still..." You flinched as the pinkette grabbed an eyelash curler and leaned over. "I-is that a weapon...?"

Momoi grinned. "Just hold still for one minute, (Last Name)-chan..."

You do your best not to think about how creepy it would be to have a strange contraption on your eyelashes, and let out a sigh of relief when she finished.

"Are we finished yet...?" You grumble.

"Almost..." the pink haired girl grabbed some blush and lip gloss, before slathering the two all over your face. Then she proceeded to grab some mascara. By the time she was finished, you felt like your face was covered with a mask.

"My eyelids feel heavy..." you mumble. You started to stand up before Momoi suddenly grabbed your hand and forced you to sit down.

"Wait, I didn't do your hair yet~!" A sigh escaped your lips as your friend began styling your hair, and you think about how nice it would be to stay home and watch television with a drink in your hand.

x x x

Approximately an hour later, Momoi was finally satisfied with how you looked. You glared at your reflection in the mirror. Putting on makeup made you look prettier, sure, but it was a pain, and you preferred natural looks over made over ones. A knock on the door notified you of Momoi's presence.

"Are you done changing, (Last Name)-chan?" You open the door to reveal Momoi, who squealed and gave you a tight hug. "I knew you would look perfect in my kimono~! I did such a good job..." The manager grabbed your hand and dragged you out of her room. "Let's go now~! I can't wait to see the look on Dai-chan's face..." The girl giggled.

Upon getting outside, you and Momoi slowed down your pace, walking leisurely to the park, which was where you had agreed to meet up with Aomine. When the two of you got there, you encountered not only Aomine, but Kagami and Kuroko as well.

"Tetsu-kun~!" Momoi launched herself forward and threw her arms around the invisible Seirin player. "I haven't seen you in ages~!"

"Momoi-san, can you not hug me like that? Good evening, (Last Name)-san." The azure-haired boy nodded in your direction. You smiled lightly, and greeted him, before turning around to face Aomine. The dark-skinned ace seemed stunned upon seeing you, before turning away abruptly.

"...Let's go." He grumbled. Momoi grinned and ran over to face Aomine.

"Aww, Dai-chan. You're blushing~!"

"Am not." He scowled. "Shut up, Satsuki."

The five of you proceeded to the lights of the festival, talking about whatever came to mind.

When you arrived at the festival, a smile lit up your face at the view of the cheerful children and colorful concession stands. Momoi grabbed your arm and pulled you to the cotton candy stand, paying for two of them. "My treat tonight~!" She winked at you playfully, and you laughed before taking a bite of the fluffy candy.

Aomine and Kagami were having a showdown at one of the basketball shooting booths, and Kuroko was attempting to catch the attention of a man at a concession stand, but was failing. You smiled at the sight, and you walked down the aisles of lights and booths with Momoi. Suddenly, you feel a large hand block your vision.

"Here." Your eyes widen slightly in surprise as Aomine hands you a mask from over your head, a tinge of red on his cheeks. You grin up at his embarrassed face, making him more flustered. "What?" He muttered.

You accept the mask and pull it onto your head, not letting it cover your face so you could keep eating. A shooting booth catches your attention, and you walk over to give it a try.

You missed the first shot miserably, and you frown, cursing inwardly. A second missed shot had you furrowing your brows in frustration. Suddenly, a pair of large hands cover your own.

"You're not aiming carefully enough. Lean over more, and keep your back straight..." A gruff voice sounds by your ear, sending shivers down your spine. You feel one of the hands press down on your stomach, forcing your backbone to level. A blush lights up your cheeks as Aomine leaned over you, his hands steadying your gun. You press the trigger accidentally, but for some reason, you were able to hit a bullseye. A squeal escaped from your lips, and you found yourself hugging Aomine. Your face became red upon realizing what you had done.

"S-sorry. And Thanks." You mutter, accepting the prize the man in the booth handed you, before dashing off, flustered.

"(Last Name)-chan~!" Momoi runs over to you and hands you a candy apple. "These are really good, you should have some~!" She said, jumping around, before running off to the fishing booth. You bite into the treat, savoring the sweet taste. Then you become aware of another presence behind you.

"Candy apples huh...? Maybe I should get one..." You look up to find yourself staring into midnight blue eyes, and you grin up at Aomine.

"Want a bite?" You asked teasingly, laughing. But you were shut up immediately when Aomine suddenly leaned over your shoulder and took a chomp out of your candy apple.

"Thanks for the meal." He smirked at your red face and gaping mouth, before waving his hand and walking away, chuckling all the while.

x x x

A sudden drop of water on your shoulder turned your attention from the candy apple to the sky. You frown and look up to see thunder clouds gathering. Suddenly, a hand was placed on your shoulder. You turned around to find yourself face to face with a pair of cold, black eyes.

"(First Name)." You feel a shiver pass through your body as the man called your 'father' spoke. You stepped backwards, before immediately slapping off his hand.

"S-stay away...!" You stutter. The man remained emotionless.

"You can speak again? That's nice. You need to work on keeping that voice with you now, eh?" A humorless smile passed over the man's rough features, and you feel a sob emerging from your throat. You turn around, and run away.

You weren't aware of how long you were running, or how far you had gone. All you wanted to do was put as much distance as possible between you and your father. Before you knew it, you were crashing through trees, leaving scrapes on your arms and ripping bits of the kimono Momoi had lent you. Suddenly, you lose your footing and you found yourself sliding down a muddy cliff.

When you finally snapped back to reality, you found yourself at the bottom of a steep slope, with several scratches on your arms and legs, rain soaking your hair and clothes. You attempt to get up, but a throb in your ankle stops you, making you wince. With trembling hands, you open your bag and take out your phone, which was useless due to the lack of signal in the area. You open your mouth to scream, and you encounter your final problem.

Your voice had decided to abandon you, just when you needed it the most.


End file.
